Hinduism has over 1 billion adherents worldwide (15% of world's population).[1][2] Along with Christianity (31.5%), Islam (23.2%) and Buddhism (7.1%), Hinduism is one of the four major religions of the world by percentage of population.[3]

Most Hindus are found in Asian countries. The countries with more than 500,000 Hindu residents and citizens include (in decreasing order) - India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Myanmar, United Kingdom and South Africa.[1][2]

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Hinduism is a heterogeneous religion and consists of many schools of thought. Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, monistic, agnostic, humanist or atheistic.[4] Estimates of Hinduism by country reflects this diversity of thought and way of life.

Demographic estimates of Hindu population by country has been published by the Pew Research Center in 2012,[1] as well as US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006.[5]

By total number, India has the most Hindus. By percentage, Nepal has the largest majority of Hindu population in the world followed by India and Mauritius.[6] There are an estimated 60 to 70 million Hindus who lived outside India in 2010.[2] Only three countries in the world, in 2010, had a majority of its population as Hindus - Nepal, India and Mauritius.[1]

These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, 4th column, is the percentage of population that is Hindu in a region (Hindus in the region * 100/total population of the region). The last column shows the Hindu percentage compared to the total Hindu population of the world (Hindus in the region * 100/total Hindu population of the world).

^Julius J. Lipner, Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-45677-7, page 8; Quote: “(...) one need not be religious in the minimal sense described to be accepted as a Hindu by Hindus, or describe oneself perfectly validly as Hindu. One may be polytheistic or monotheistic, monistic or pantheistic, even an agnostic, humanist or atheist, and still be considered a Hindu.”; MK Gandhi, The Essence of Hinduism, Editor: VB Kher, Navajivan Publishing, see page 3; According to Gandhi, "a man may not believe in God and still call himself a Hindu."